


i'm scared of what's behind, and what's before

by blancsanglier



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-24
Updated: 2013-10-24
Packaged: 2017-12-30 09:31:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blancsanglier/pseuds/blancsanglier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Richard is about to ride out to Bosworth Field, he meets someone he did not expect to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm scared of what's behind, and what's before

“You’re riding into battle in your crown?”

“If Tudor wants to take me on, then he won’t have to search for me.”

Brackenbury was at a loss for words. For the whole week leading up to the confrontation with Tudor, Richard had been so careful in all of his planning, taking the utmost precautions in every detail.

Why then had his demeanor suddenly changed today, on the morning of the battle? The king was now cocksure and reckless.

As the final regimen fell into place behind the vanguard, all eyes turned to the crowned figure astride a stunning white destrier. Brackenbury noticed; Richard had not.

The king was staring away into the early morning mists.

Following Richard’s gaze to a line of trees, Brackenbury found nothing of interest. Richard however, could not seem to tear his eyes away from the spot; his face was the picture of sadness. Brackenbury coughed in an attempt to catch the king’s attention.

It wasn’t that Richard could not look away, he was not willing to look away.  
______________________________________________  
￼  
Richard sat transfixed. His heart ached as it had not for some weeks now; battle preparations had pushed everything from his mind.

Now, moments before the battle for his crown, he was sure his sanity was hanging on by a mere thread. Yet an intangible sense of comfort mixed with the most numbing grief descended over him, for Anne stood before him at the edge of the trees.

She was smiling at him.

Though she did not move any further into the clearing, Richard heard her voice as clear as if she were standing next to him.

“Come back to me, my love. We are too long apart.”

At the sound of his dead wife’s voice, Richard understood. He knew now why the dread of the impending battle had been lifted when he awoke this morning. He knew why he had decided to wear his crown. He had already, unknowingly accepted his fate.

He noticed she was not dressed in her royal regalia, but rather her simpler Middleham attire.

‘This will suit us well; we’ve no need for the poison of this hollow crown’ he thought to himself. Anne nodded as though she could hear him, and with that final gesture, she turned from Richard and was gone.  
_______________________________________________

Emerging from his daze, Richard glanced at Brackenbury, wordlessly communicating that he was fine.

Giving the signal for his men to move out, Richard rode to Bosworth field with a new purpose: to find happiness with Anne once more.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr.  
> I got the idea from a still of Richard sitting on his horse before Bosworth looking sad.  
> Hope you enjoy and feedback is much appreciated!


End file.
